The excitatory amino acid L-glutamate (sometimes referred to herein simply as glutamate) through its many receptors mediates most of the excitatory neurotransmission within the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). The excitatory amino acids, including glutamate, are of great physiological importance, playing a role in a variety of physiological processes, such as long-term potentiation (learning and memory), the development of synaptic plasticity, motor control, respiration, cardiovascular regulation, and sensory perception.
Glutamate acts via at least two distinct classes of receptors. One class is composed of the ionotropic glutamate (iGlu) receptors that act as ligand-gated ionic channels. Via activation of the iGlu receptors, glutamate is thought to regulate fast neuronal transmission within the synapse of two connecting neurons in the CNS. The second general type of receptor is the G-protein or second messenger-linked “metabotropic” glutamate (mGluR) receptor. Both types of receptors appear not only to mediate normal synaptic transmission along excitatory pathways, but also participate in the modification of synaptic connections during development and throughout life. Schoepp, Bockaert, and Sladeczek, Trends in Pharmacol. Sci., 11, 508 (1990); McDonald and Johnson, Brain Research Reviews, 15, 41 (1990).
The present invention relates to potentiators of mGlu receptors, in particular mGluR2 receptors. The mGluR receptors belong to the Type III G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily. This superfamily of GPCR's including the calcium-sensing receptors, GABAB receptors and pheromone receptors, which are unique in that they are activated by binding of effectors to the amino-terminus portion of the receptor protein. The mGlu receptors are thought to mediate glutamate's demonstrated ability to modulate intracellular signal transduction pathways. Ozawa, Kamiya and Tsuzuski, Prog. Neurobio., 54, 581 (1998). They have been demonstrated to be localized both pre- and post-synaptically where they can regulate neurotransmitter release, either glutamate or other neurotransmitters, or modify the post-synaptic response of neurotransmitters, respectively.
At present, there are eight distinct mGlu receptors that have been positively identified, cloned, and their sequences reported. These are further subdivided based on their amino acid sequence homology, their ability to affect certain signal transduction mechanisms, and their known pharmacological properties. Ozawa, Kamiya and Tsuzuski, Prog. Neurobio., 54, 581 (1998). For instance, the Group I mGluR receptors, which include the mGluR1 and mGluR5, are known to activate phospholipase C(PLC) via Gαq-proteins thereby resulting in the increased hydrolysis of phosphoinositides and intracellular calcium mobilization. There are several compounds that are reported to activate the Group I mGlu receptors including DHPG, (R/S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine. Schoepp, Goldworthy, Johnson, Salhoff and Baker, J. Neurochem., 63, 769 (1994); Ito, et al., keurorep., 3, 1013 (1992). The Group II mGlu receptors consist of the two distinct receptors, mGluR2 and mGluR3 receptors. Both have been found to be negatively coupled to adenylate cyclase via activation of Gαi-protein. These receptors can be activated by a selective compound such as 1S,2S,SR,6S-2 aminobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,6-dicarboxylate. Monn, et al., J. Med. Chem., 40, 528 (1997); Schoepp, et al., Neuropharmacol., 36, 1 (1997). This activation leads to inhibition of glutamate release in the synapse (Cartmell et al, J Neurochem 75, 889 (2000)). Similarly, the Group III mGlu receptors, including mGluR4, mGluR6, mGluR7 and mGluR8, are negatively coupled to adenylate cyclase via Gαi and are potently activated by L-AP4 (L-(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid). Schoepp, Neurochem. Int., 24, 439 (1994).
Nonselective mGluR2/mGluR3 receptor agonists (Monn, et al., J. Med. Chem., 43, 4893, (2000)) have shown efficacy in numerous animal models of anxiety and psychosis as well as human clinical trials in schizophrenia patients; Patil et al, Nature Medicine, 13, 1102 (2007). Recent reports indicate that mGluR2 but not the mGluR3 receptor mediates the actions of the dual mGluR2/mGluR3 agonist LY379268 in mouse models predictive of antipsychotic activity. Woolley et al, Psycopharmacology, 196, 431 (2008). Additionally, recent animal studies demonstrate that selective potentiation of the mGluR2 receptor has similar effects to such non-selective agonists (Galici et al, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 315, 1181 (2005)) suggesting an alternative strategy concerning the discovery of selective, positive allosteric modulators (PAMs or allosteric potentiators) of mGluR2 (Johnson et al, J. Med. Chem. 46, 3189, (2003); Pinkerton et al., J. Med. Chem., 47, 4595 (2004). These potentiators act by enabling the receptor to produce an enhanced response to endogenous glutamate. Such allosteric potentiators do not bind at the glutamate binding site also known as the “orthosteric site”, and may benefit by binding to a site other than the highly conserved orthosteric site. A potential advantage to this approach includes the opportunity to have a distinct pharmacological profile by enhancing the activity of the endogenous ligand upon its binding to the orthosteric site. The pharmacological distinctions include the potential for pharmacological specificity between related receptor types that share the same endogenous ligand. In addition, positive allosteric modulators of mGluR2 have been shown to potentiate the response of mGluR2 agonists such as LY379268 (Johnson et. Al. Biochemical Soc. Trans. 32, 881 (2004) and this represents an alternative strategy for treatment using mGluR2 selective PAMs.
It has become increasingly clear that there is a link between modulation of excitatory amino acid receptors, including the glutamatergic system, through changes in glutamate release or alteration in postsynaptic receptor activation, and a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. e.g. Monaghan, Bridges and Cotman, Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol., 29, 365-402 (1989); Schoepp and Sacann, Neurobio. Aging, 15, 261-263 (1994); Meldrum and Garthwaite, Tr. Pharmacol. Sci., 11, 379-387 (1990). The medical consequences of such glutamate dysfunction make the abatement of these neurological processes an important therapeutic goal.